Lynne Dianne Shirey's Obituary
Lynne Dianne Shirey, beloved wife, artist, nurse, and friend, passed away on June 15, 2025, in Garland, Texas, surrounded by the love of her family and the abiding grace of her Lord and Savior. She was 82.
Known for her vivacious personality and boundless warmth, Lynne never met a stranger. Her generous heart, radiant smile, and unshakable optimism left a lasting impression on everyone she encountered. Whether through a kind word, a thoughtful gesture, or a song, she gave freely of herself and made the world a brighter place.
Born in Wichita Falls, Texas on October 22, 1942, Lynne was the cherished daughter of Otto August and Billie Marie Holtzen. From an early age, it was clear that Lynne was born to create and to connect—she was a gifted performer whose passions included singing, playing piano, and mastering the organ. She sang with the Dallas East Choral Club, the Contemporary Chorale in Richardson, choirs at Bethel Lutheran Church in Dallas and at Concordia Lutheran Church in Garland, and many small groups and many individual appearances. She also performed in stage dramas and musicals with her children in Garland Civic Theater productions and also in Carrollton.
But Lynne was much more than a talented performer. She was a mom , a foster mom, an adoptive mom, a car-pool mom for friends’ children, and she was Aunty Lynne to generations of friends’ children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. During the Cuban missile crisis she was expected to find her way, along with other military wives and families, across Germany and France in unguarded caravans to the coast of Europe if war broke out and husbands were fighting. She was a self-taught seamstress and made many of the clothes and costumes she and the kids wore. When she was a new grandmother she went to nursing school and then cared for patients at several local hospitals as well as making lifelong friends. She particularly loved working in the newborn nurseries.
In 1956, fate stepped in in the most unexpected way—while playfully hanging upsidedown in a tree, Lynne met the love of her life, Vermon Timothy “Tim” Shirey. That moment was the beginning of an extraordinary and joy-filled love story that spanned nearly seven decades. Their bond, filled with laughter, faith, and adventure, remains an inspiration to all who knew them.
She is survived by her husband and two children: Dianne (Shirey) Boswell and Tim Shirey Jr., five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren, and by many nieces, nephews, and cousins whose lives were brightened by her gifts and hugs. Her son, Ray Shirey, passed on some years ago.
Lynne’s absence leaves a deep ache, but her memory lives on in the hearts of her devoted husband Tim, her cherished family and friends, and the many lives she touched with her light.
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